Storage chest for silverware or the like

ABSTRACT

A chest, or like container, for preserving silver or like surfaces against tarnishing, including a receptacle and cover assembly adapted to interfit in airtight relation, and an air exhaust valve set into a wall of the chest, said valve adapted to connect with an air exhaust pump and sealed by the atmospheric air pressure when the interior of the chest is exhausted and responsive to a manual operation for opening, to equalize the pressure on the interior and exterior of the chest.

Landis..........................

United States Patent I. n y

De u" TSGT 8 799 36666 99999 lllll Ill/l 59 9 l M%MM% .3 2 86225 38426 .3 .4. 22333 8 mW u Mm L 97 m 69 I 9] um 3 M 00 M flNN I d m N w n I w nwm .m AMP N H 7 1 24 Primary Examiner-Lloyd L. King AuorneyVictor M. Helfand [54] STORAGE CHEST FOR SILVERWARE OR THE LIKE 4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

or like container, for preserving silver or like surfaces against tarnishing, including a receptacle and cover assembly adapted to interfit in airtight relation, and an air exhaust valve set into a wall of the chest, said valve adapted to connect with an air exhaust pump and sealed by the atmospheric air pressure when the interior of the chest is exhausted and responsive to a manual operation for opening, to equalize the pressure on the interior and exterior of the chest.

"W5 m S n m m T m m m NW m E m MA m m mm "mm m m msm Rm 9 W W m m L a r S LW 7 U hF B 1 1] I n m mm m 9 STORAGE CHEST FOR SILVERWARE OR THE LIKE The present invention relates to containers or chests for storing readily tarnishable articles such as silver or silverplated flatware, or the like, and has for its object the provision of such container or chest which will permit the storage therein of such articles for greatly prolonged periods of time without tarnishing.

Articles such as silver or silverpIate-flatware, or the like, become tarnished on their surfaces due to the presence of certain contaminants in the atmosphere, especially in the atmosphere of industrialized areas. Heretofore, the prevention of surface-tarnishing of such articles relied on the presence of chemicals within the storage chest, as by means of chemically treated liners for such chest. While this method of surface preservation was efl'ective to an extent, it has not been found entirely satisfactory, and articles stored in such chests for longer periods of time did accumulate surface tarnish.

The present invention is directed to the provision of improved storage chests, of the character described, which will protect their contents against surface tarnishing for greater and more prolonged periods of time than heretofore possible.

The present invention contemplates the provision of storage chests, of the character described, in which the antitamishing is effected not, or not exclusively by chemical means; but rather by withdrawing the greater part of the air from the chest to thereby, both, greatly reduce the amount of contaminant within the chest, and also render the chest completely airtight, against replacement of contaminant-containing air thereinto.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a chest, of the character described, which is of relatively simple construction and simple and easy to use and evacuate.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a chest, of the character described, which once having the air evacuated therefrom, will remain in evacuated state until air is manually replaced therein, when desired.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a storage chest, of the character described, in which a vacuum formed therein may be readily broken to permit reentry of air thereinto and the opening-thereof.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the storage chest of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the embodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawing and from the description following. It is to be understood, however, that such embodiment is shown by way of illustration only, to make the principles and practice of the invention more readily comprehensible, and withoutany intent of limiting the invention to the specific details therein shown.

In the drawings: 7

FIG. I is a blown perspective view of a chest of the present invention and of a fragment of a hand pump for evacuating the air therefrom;

FIG. 2 is a greatly enlarged section taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a more or less diagrammatic enlarged sectional view illustrating the method and means for breaking the vacuum in the chest and FIG. 4 is a section through the air valve element of the vacuum chest.

Generally stated, the present invention resides in the provision in the wall of a chest, of the character described, accessible from the exterior, of an air valve which will automatically open when the pressure within the chest is greater than the pressure surrounding the valve on the exterior, and will automatically close when pressure on the exterior is greater than the pressure within the chest, and which may be manually opened for equalizing the pressure inside and outside of the chest.

Referring now, in greater detail, to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the same is shown to comprise a receptacle or bottom portion, generally designated as 10, and a over or top portion, generally designated as I2.

Both top and bottom portions are illustrated as being of rectangular shape, but it is not intended to limit the invention to such shape. Bottom portion 10 comprises a bottom wall, 14, and an upright wall, 16, whose upper, outer edge is rabbeted, as at 18. Top cover portion 12 comprises the top wall, 20, and a depending flange, 22, whose inner bottom edge is rabbeted, as at 24, to fit within rabbet 18. A preferably compressible gasket, 26, of airtight material, may be disposed within the rabbet 18, of the receptacle 10, as illustrated, and, if desired, also in the rabbet 24 of the cover section 12.

Both receptacle l0 and cover 12 may be formed of any suitable material that is sufficiently rigid to withstand the exterior air pressure after the air in the chest is evacuated, and may be formed each of one piece of air-impervious material or assembled with airtight joints.

Means are provided in a wall of the chest, preferably in upright wall 16 of the receptacle [0, for the positioning therein of a one-way air valve assembly. Such means may comprise a cylindrical opening, 28, formed in wall 16, whose inner end may be enlarged to form the cylindrical rabbet, 30. The valve may comprise a valve housing formed of a tube, 32, fitting closely within the opening 28 and threaded at both ends, as at 34 and 36; threaded portion 34 extending into the rabbet 30 and threaded portion 36 projecting from the exterior of the wall 16. Secured on the inner end 34 of tube 32 is an internally threaded metal washer, 40, formed with an outwardly extending peripheral, externally threaded flange, 42.

The valve element, generally designated as 44, may comprise a tube, 46, formed of a resilient material, such as rubber, closed at one end, and open at its other end, where it is formed with an integral, circular, laterally extending base, 50, of a circumference to fit snugly within the recess formed by the flange 42 of washer 40. The closed end of the valve element tube 46 is split part of its length, as by the cut-line, 52, that extends into the wall of the hollow portion of the tube. The end face of the tube 46 may be inwardly tapered to fonn a recess, 54, and also outwardly, as at 56. Valve-housing tube 32 may be held in place by an internally threaded cup-shaped nut, 58, which is engaged over the 'flange 42 of washer 40 and is formed with a central opening in line with the opening of valve tube 46. If desired, a separate Washer, 60, may be inserted between the cup-shaped nut 58 and the outer face of the base 50 of the valve tube. The valve-housing tube 32 is further held on the exterior of the wall 16 by the threaded nut, 62.

After the container is closed by placing the cover 12 on the receptacle [0, air may be exhausted therefrom by means of an air exhaust pump, generally designated as 72, which is fragon the outwardly projecting threaded portion 36 of valvehousing tube 32. The chamber 76 is provided in its wall with a valve element, generally designated as 79, similar to valve element 44, with its base, 80, engaging against the inner face of the wall of chamber 76, and'its split end, 82, projecting to, the exterior thereof. A plunger, 84, is reciprocable within the cylinder 74.

In operation, pump 72 is threaded on the projecting end 36 of tube 32. When plunger 84 is moved inwardly, air is discharged'from chamber 76 through valve element 79. when the plunger 84 is moved in the opposite direction, valve element 79 remains closed and the air pressure is reduced in chamber 74 so that pressure from inside of the container causes the spreading apart of the split end of valve element 44 for the flow of air into the chamber 76 from the interior of the container. As plunger 84 is again pushed inwardly, valve element 44 closes by external pressure of air while the air from the chamber is again pushed out through valve element 79. Repeated reciprocation of the plunger 84 causes repeated withdrawal of air from the container into the chamber, discharging the air from the chamber until maximum evacuation of air from the container is effected in line with the capacity of the exhaust pump.

After the air-exhausting procedure is terminated, pump 72 may be removed from the projecting end of the valve housing 36. It may here by stated that other types of valves and other types of pumps operative for the same purpose may be used.

In order to break the vacuum within the container, the split end 46 of valve element 44 is manually spread apart. For the latter purpose, a hollow needle, 88, may be utilized; the needle having a closed rounded end, 90, and a transverse passage, 94 inwardly of its closed end connecting with its hollow interior. The needle end 90 is pushed into the tapering recess 54 at the end of valve tube 46 to spread its split end and is pushed into the interior of the tube until its transverse passageway 92 connects with the interior of tube 46, permitting the air from the exterior to get into the interior of the valve tube 46 and from there into the container until the inner pressure is equalized with the external pressure. 7

It may here be stated that to facilitate the operation of the valve element 46 to open and close in response to excess pressure, the interior of the tube may be tapered at its closed end and the exterior thereof at said end may likewise be tapered or beveled, as shown at 56.

it may here also be stated that the chest of the present invention may have conventional compartments or dividers for receiving and holding individual or groups of articles. It may here also be stated that the chest of the present invention may, if desired, be lined with a chemically treated lining of the conventional type, to further enhance its efiectiveness.

This completes the description of the chest of the present invention, and the manner of its use. It will be apparent that by reason of the evacuation of a substantial part of the air from the chest and the prevention of infiltration of replacement air thereinto, the amount of contaminant in the air within the chest is greatly reduced, so that the contents thereof may remain untarnished, or unappreciably tarnished, for prolonged periods of time. It will be further apparent that the chest of the present invention may easily and readily have its air evacuated therefrom and easily and readily returned thereinto, so that it is easy and convenient to use.

It will be further apparent that numerous modifications and variations may be made in the storage chest of the present invention by anyone skilled in the art, in accordance with the principles of the invention hereinabove set forth, without the exercise of any inventive ingenuity.

Whatlclaimis: 1

l. A storage chest, of the character described, comprising a receptacle andcover therefor, said receptacle and cover adapted to be fitted in airtight relation on one another, and a one-way air valve assembly set in a wall of said chest connecting its interior with the exterior, the said assembly including a valve member having a normally resiliently closed end exposed to the exterior of said chest adapted to open for passage of air when' air pressure within said chest exceeds the air pressure on said'valve member from the exterior thereof, and to close when the air pressure on the interior of said chest is less than the air pressure on the exterior of said valve member, said valve including means for detachably securing thereto an air exhaust pump for withdrawing air from said chest, said valve member adapted to be opened manually from the exterior of said chest for equalization of air pressure within and without the chest.

2. The chest of claim 1, wherein said receptacle comprises a bottom wall and an upstanding wall extending from said bottom wall, and said cover comprises a top wall and a flange depending from said top wall, the edges of said flange and said wall interfitting with one another and an airtight compressible gasket disposed between said interfitting edges.

3. The chest of claim 1, wherein an opening is formed in the wall of said chest, said valve assembly disposed within said opening and including a valve-housing tube closely fitted within said opening and projecting from each end thereof, said projections being threaded, means engaging the inner projection of said tube against outward withdrawal from said opening, and means engaging the prty'ecting end on the exterior of said tube to prevent its inward isplacement In said opening, said outer threaded projection adapted to serve as a coupling for an exhaust pump, said valve element and extending into said tube a valve element disposed within said tube.

4. The chest of claim 3, wherein said valve member comprises a tube formed of a resilient material, said tube closed at one end and having a flange at the other end, said tube longitudinally split at its closed end a distance inwardly thereinto, said tube secured by its base within said tubular housing with its closed end outwardly directed, said closed end of said tube formed with a central depression adapted to receive the end of a means for spreading apart the split ends of the tube. 

1. A storage chest, of the character described, comprising a receptaclE and cover therefor, said receptacle and cover adapted to be fitted in airtight relation on one another, and a one-way air valve assembly set in a wall of said chest connecting its interior with the exterior, the said assembly including a valve member having a normally resiliently closed end exposed to the exterior of said chest adapted to open for passage of air when air pressure within said chest exceeds the air pressure on said valve member from the exterior thereof, and to close when the air pressure on the interior of said chest is less than the air pressure on the exterior of said valve member, said valve including means for detachably securing thereto an air exhaust pump for withdrawing air from said chest, said valve member adapted to be opened manually from the exterior of said chest for equalization of air pressure within and without the chest.
 2. The chest of claim 1, wherein said receptacle comprises a bottom wall and an upstanding wall extending from said bottom wall, and said cover comprises a top wall and a flange depending from said top wall, the edges of said flange and said wall interfitting with one another and an airtight compressible gasket disposed between said interfitting edges.
 3. The chest of claim 1, wherein an opening is formed in the wall of said chest, said valve assembly disposed within said opening and including a valve-housing tube closely fitted within said opening and projecting from each end thereof, said projections being threaded, means engaging the inner projection of said tube against outward withdrawal from said opening, and means engaging the projecting end on the exterior of said tube to prevent its inward displacement in said opening, said outer threaded projection adapted to serve as a coupling for an exhaust pump, said valve element and extending into said tube a valve element disposed within said tube.
 4. The chest of claim 3, wherein said valve member comprises a tube formed of a resilient material, said tube closed at one end and having a flange at the other end, said tube longitudinally split at its closed end a distance inwardly thereinto, said tube secured by its base within said tubular housing with its closed end outwardly directed, said closed end of said tube formed with a central depression adapted to receive the end of a means for spreading apart the split ends of the tube. 